Die Settings Part 2

Belling Issues

A lot of misery is caused because handloaders do not flair their
straight-walled cases enough.
Flaring (also called “Belling”) opens the case
mouth like a funnel, allowing the bullet to be seated slightly inside, rather
than on the case mouth.

There
are many cautionary tales told regarding case belling, owing to the fact
that unnecessary working of brass reduces case life. The result is
that
handloaders under-bell their cases and end up damaging bullets, ruining
cases, hurting accuracy and making a mess inside their
dies. Here are some simple
guidelines regarding case mouth bell:

·If the bullets seemscanted to one side
in the loaded case, decrease the flare.

Sometimes
going too fast will result in a bullet that is misaligned before the
cartridge is run up into the
seater die. Just be aware that an
occasional damaged cartridge
is not be directly related to an under-belled
case mouth. It may have been careless placement of the bullet
instead.

Like most handloading skills, judging proper case bell is a
skill that develops over time. For beginners, it is easier to simply bell the
case large enough to easily accept a bullet and small enough that it will fit
into the
seater die without scraping. The increased case stress is worth the
resulting well-seated bullet. Over time, setting the belling die will become more
practiced and the amount of flare reduced to match the individual loading
project.

Bullet Seated to Deeply
There is a difference here between rifles and pistols when it comes to the
question of bullets that have been seated too deeply into the case. Rifles are
more forgiving than small capacity, high pressure pistol cases. However, it is
a problem regardless of the type of firearm used. The next rule applies to
handloading across the board, but especially here: IF IT LOOKS FUNNY, DON’T
SHOOT IT.

Internal
changes within this case are significant. 9mm Parabellum cartridges operate at
a SAAMI maximum of 35,000 psi, which is the same pressure threshold as a
.357
Remington Magnum. What makes the 9mm Para especially
nasty in this situation is
that it uses faster powders in a smaller space than the
.357 Magnum. It is very
sensitive to changes in case volume. When the bullet is
to deep, it takes up
case volume that would have been available to allow gas expansion before the
bullet began to move. The bullet
is also compressing the powder charge, which
can radically affect burn rates. This will cause more pressure than one using
the correct Cartridge Overall Length and the same powder charge. If you are
confronted with this problem, salvage the components or safely dispose of the
cartridge. Don’t shoot it and don’t keep it in a box of duds for your
beneficiaries to find after you have passed on. This type of mistake is
potentially dangerous.

Small
mistakes in
handloading are common and most are easily remedied. Some, like
pressure dimples in rifle cartridges are unsightly but harmless. Others may
damage cases and components beyond salvage, but that is part of the challenge of
learning a new hobby. Please, let caution rule your
handloading choices. If you
suspect something is wrong, safely dispose of it and move on. Some mistakes are
trivial, but others ruin guns, hands and eyes. Always put safety first.